


The Reason Why

by deanandsam



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, tag to the Pilot s1 ep1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 14:56:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14357820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanandsam/pseuds/deanandsam
Summary: It's been two months since Mary Winchester perished on the ceiling of her baby's nursery and John still can't come to terms with the way she died. But he's about to find out the reason.





	The Reason Why

John flicked back the unruly lock of black hair which had fallen annoyingly over his eyes.  
He’d meant to pay a visit to the barber's shop but since Mary died that night, more than two months ago, he’d let everything go to hell, not least his personal grooming.

The only thing keeping him from a complete breakdown were his boys, even if the strain of taking care of a five-year old and a baby who had still to celebrate his first birthday, combined with all the stress he was undergoing trying to understand why Mary had died in that god-awful impossible way, burning on the ceiling, was beginning to overwhelm him.

He’d stayed on in Lawrence. He needed the money from his job at the garage to take care of his kids.

Truth was, John knew he was only managing to cope because of the help from a neighbouring couple who’d taken pity on the tragic widower with the two beautiful children, and offered him a temporary roof over his head, though he understood he couldn't impose on them for ever.  


He’d have to come up with another solution but he didn't want to leave Lawrence just yet; he was becoming more and more obsessed with finding a logical explanation for what had happened to his wife. He'd been the only one to see her hanging there on the ceiling. By the time the fire had been doused, there was nothing left.  
His beautiful, vibrant Mary had become a pile of grey ashes.  
He felt the hatred gnaw at his heart as he contemplated what he'd do if he ever found out there was a person responsible for causing her death.

John had always been a sensible down to earth kind of guy, an ex-marine, and the idea that there might be anything unnatural about his wife's demise was difficult to believe, but he hadn't been able to deny the evidence.  
Hanging burning from a ceiling in defiance of the laws of gravity was NOT normal and that's why he was standing at the door of a so-called psychic who'd been recommended to him by a half-drunk dude who'd come rolling into the motor-shop to pick up his old banger.  
He’d sworn she was the real deal and she could tell you things that were impossible for her to know.

Until that moment, John hadn't even considered it might have anything to do with the occult. He’d figured it to be more a freak accident of physics, but he hadn't been able to explain Mary's death satisfactorily, so here he was, about to knock on the door of a certain Missouri Mosley. Psychic!

 

He gave a quick look back at his car. He could see Dean gazing out at him from the back seat where he'd left him with a sleeping Sammy.  
Since his mom had died the child had become silent, caring about nothing except his baby brother.  
He stuck to Sam like glue, and John let him be. Dean seemed to take comfort when his brother was near, cuddling him on the couch or holding the bottle as the baby happily chugged down his milk.

He turned back to the door, still hesitant about consulting a so-called psychic, but hell, he’d come this far, he was just as well hearing what she had to say.

 

"Come right in John. I was wondering when you’d show up on my doorstep, and here you are," the woman said as she opened the door to his knock.  
Although the words were welcoming enough, John could detect an almost sorrowful undertone to her voice.

"You know who I am?" he asked, taken aback.  
"Yes John, I know.”

She glanced beyond him at the black Impala parked at the end of her driveway, where the pale face of a child was staring back at her.  
"That's Dean, I believe. Looking out for little Sammy. Yeah, that's about right," she added almost fondly.

John's emotions were in a turmoil; he didn't know whether to get angry at the woman for knowing about his affairs, or admire her 'psychic' insights, but he followed her docilely enough as she led the way towards the interior of the house.

"Take a seat, John," she ordered as if he were a kid. "I'll make you some coffee, strong an' black, just like you prefer."

"Listen, lady," John burst out. "I didn't come here for coffee!"  
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. "I don't even know why I'm here, other than some drunk told me you were the real deal. So, let's cut to the chase. My wife died a couple of months ago in strange…."

"I know that too, John. She was dragged onto the ceiling and set alight," Missouri interrupted, her voice full of sympathy. "That's why you came to see me. You want an explanation. Well, you've come to the right place, 'cos I can give you one."

"How….!"  


"I AM the real deal, John. A true psychic, though most of the folks who come to my door would be scared out their wits if they knew. They probably think I'm just good at faking. It's easier for most people to accept that.  
But you're not just 'most people' are you, John? You really want to know, but I gotta warn you, there will be consequences. You're at a crossroads, Winchester, depends what you decide right here, right now. You can have the truth or you can turn your ass around, go back to your kids and get on with your life.  
Yours is the choice, John. But if you decide you want the truth, your life will change forever and that of your children too."

It wasn't often that John Winchester was at a loss for words, but it was difficult for him to get his mind round what this apparently ordinary woman was telling him. His life would change forever, his boys' too? Just what could be so momentous?

She stood silently, waiting. No more information was forthcoming. She’d said the decision was his, but John already knew what his answer would be. He had to find out about that night.  
"I want to understand, " he said, so condemning himself and his children to a life of Hunting. " I need to know why."

 

Missouri sighed. She’d known what his answer was going to be yet a small part of her had hoped he would have risen from her chair and chosen to go out to his kids, leaving things as they were.

Her heart was heavy for the two innocents sitting in the car outside, but their destiny was already written and she could do nothing else but play her role.  
She sat down at the table.

"It was a demon, John; a real, live, out of Hell, black-hearted demon."

The End


End file.
